Mom On the Alert

Today’s mail brought a very large postcard. The pictures on the front included what looks like the dome of a mosque, the remaining structure of an old brick castle or fort, a huge rectangular and ancient looking building sitting in a barren part of the desert and a small photo of a gruesome appearing sculpture showing a lion biting the neck of a man.

On looking more closely at this last photo, the man seems to be holding himself up intentionally and baring his neck for sacrifice. You can see both of his hands on the floor of the crevice or cave, both of the paws of the lion almost cradling the man, but you can also see another hand reaching out and covering the mouth of the victim.

At the bottom, there is some script of what appears to be Arabic, or possibly an ancient Persian form of the language. Just below the photos are the words:

Greetings from Iraq.

On the back of the postcard the following return address appears.
BESMAYA RANGE COMPLEX
APO AE 09308

The card is the long awaited message from our mailman, Danny, who was deployed with his unit to Iraq last January. I don’t know the date that it was written, but the post office stamp says it was mailed on May 18th.

Here is what Danny writes in his precise and beautiful hand:

“HELLO TO ALL. I AM HERE IN IRAQ AND SAFE. IT’S A DANGEROUS PLACE. ANYTHING COULD HAPPEN ANY TIME. I HAVE BEEN TO BAGHDAD, TAJI AND NOW IN BESMAYA. TEMP. IS GOING UP. SOON WILL BE 120º. WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE. BAD GUYS ARE NEARBY. THANKS FOR YOUR PRAYERS. SEE YOU ALL BY NEXT SUMMER. GOD BLESS. DANNY”

Imprinted on the card in small print:
Post Card Standard by Nick Peucelle
T.F.L. Product: services@taskforcelogistics.com

I am relieved to hear that Danny was safe at the time he wrote those words. Please continue to keep him and his men in your hearts. And, if you pray, please pray for peace.